


The Name Game

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 17:32:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2437025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Just when I think I've found all the words to tell you how amazing you are…you pull another rabbit out of your hat.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Name Game

**Author's Note:**

> This is in that weird space between my here and now fanon and fiftysomething. [The Accidental Widower](http://community.livejournal.com/hotch_prentiss/41468.html), [A Reason to Believe](http://community.livejournal.com/hotch_prentiss/41769.html), and [A Hero’s Welcome](http://community.livejournal.com/hotch_prentiss/90234.html) are also in this universe. I needed a smile so I wrote one.

“Trevor?”

“Nope,”

“Ethan?” Hotch asked.

“Mmm, maybe; that’s nice.”

“Brendan is nice.”

“Everyone’s son’s name is Brendan. Hell, everyone’s son’s name is Ethan too.”

“What about Nicholas?”

“I like Nicholas.” Emily said smiling. “Nicholas Gregory…it doesn’t quite fit though.”

“OK.” Hotch rubbed her belly. He smiled when she sighed. “Nathaniel?”

“No.”

“Leslie?”

“OK, now you're just being a smartass.”

“Leslie was my father’s middle name.” Hotch replied.

“It was?”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Well I still don’t like it. I think it’s better to be honest.”

“Rule #2.” Hotch said.

“That’s right. But, since you brought up your father…”

“What?”

Emily took a deep breath. She didn’t want to upset him; that was important to her. The Hotchners were still dealing with the ups and downs of the past several months. Emily was six and a half months pregnant with twins. Hotch and Jack were still in mourning over the sudden loss of Haley in a drowning accident in Baltimore Harbor.

The FBI Unit Chief finally allowed the case to be closed, declared an accidental death. The Hotchner family was slowly putting the pieces back together. Emily managed to exhale the breath she’d been holding, afraid that there might be no coming back from this. She knew she had to support and love her husband and stepson but there was only so much one woman could take. It looked like there was finally some calm coming to the choppy waters.

They now knew they were having a boy and a girl. Once again, and totally breaking his promise, Hotch let his curiosity get the better of him. It just made Emily smile. She didn’t mind knowing the sex of the children beforehand but that wasn’t going to stop her from relentlessly teasing Hotch for being unable to wait until the delivery room like he promised.

“I think I have the perfect girl’s name picked out.” She said.

“I really like the name Alicia.” He replied.

“I know, this name is similar and I find that I'm very attached to it.”

“What is it, baby?”

“Alexandra. It’s a beautiful name and it'll go perfect with Amelia. Alexandra Amelia Hotchner. What do you think?”

Hotch wasn’t sure what to say. Alexander was his father’s name. He knew that wasn’t why Emily chose it. In fact he knew that’s why Emily didn’t want to bring it up. There had been much indecision while picking Sabrina’s name three years ago.

They had gone through a huge baby book with highlighters and Post-It Notes. It didn’t really matter. In the end Hotch went with a name Jason gave him five years before and Derek’s last name, and that happened in the delivery room. He knew these things were often decided at the last minute.

“Alexandra is a beautiful name.” He said.

“But you hate it?”

“No, no, I didn’t say I hated it. Do you have any other perfect girl’s names picked out?”

“What if you don’t like my standby name either?” Emily asked.

“The baby book is still in the nightstand drawer.”

“Aaron!”

She playfully slapped his arm as he bent to kiss her shoulder. Emily leaned into him while he massaged her stomach. It was something they learned in their birthing class as a way to relax themselves and the babies. Candles were burning; Emily found she couldn’t get enough of black cherry scent. Marc Cohn sang on the iHome about ghosts and trains. The environment was relaxing and they felt at peace in each other’s company.

“Tell me baby…I promise to be open-minded.”

“Its Chelsea, but I really have my heart set on Alexandra. It means defender.”

“I knew that. It’s a beautiful name. If you want to name her Alexandra then I think it’s a lovely idea. I named Sabrina so it’s only fair. Alexandra Amelia Hotchner is perfect.”

“Thank you.” Emily turned her head to kiss him.

Hotch smiled against her lips, cupping her face and holding it close to his.

“I love you, baby.”

“I love you too.”

“I’ll be expecting something sweet for my overwhelming generosity.” He whispered, grinning.

“I’m sure I’ll be able to think of something that you'll like very much.”

Emily turned in her husband’s arms, straddling his lap. She smiled when her skin rubbed against his. Hotch stroked her back. Their kisses were deep and passionate.

“Dad? Emily?” Jack poked his head in.

“Hey kiddo,” Hotch smiled. “What's up?”

“Its time for bed,”

Emily sat back on the bed and smiled at him. She could see the deep sadness in his eyes; it hurt so much that there was nothing she could do. Jack talked to her, shared his feelings, but there was plenty he kept to himself. He was a Hotchner after all. Hotch tried too but he wasn’t quite reaching him. They were doing the best they could…he knew he was loved and supported.

“I guess I lost track of time.” Hotch got up from the bed and put his hands on his son’s shoulders. “C'mon, you’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

“Come and give me a kiss.” Emily said.

Jack did, hugging her as well. He managed a smile when Emily caressed his face and he patted her belly.

“Goodnight, Emily; goodnight babies.”

“Goodnight Jack. Sweet dreams, love.”

He nodded and went to leave the room with his father. Her voice stopped the both of them.

“Jack, how would you like to name your baby brother?” Emily asked.

“Really?” His whole face lit up.

“Yes, I think it’s a great idea. His middle name is going to be Gregory after Pop-Pop but I think you should pick his first name.”

“I can pick anything I want?”

“Within reason.” Emily replied. “We don’t wanna name the kid Jupiter, do we?”

“I don’t know,” Hotch said. “That might be cool…Jupiter Hotchner.”

Jack looked up at his father. Hotch just nodded, squeezing his shoulders. A serious look came over Jack’s young face. His hazel eyes moved skyward, came back down, and he bit his lip in heavy concentration.

“Dylan.” Jack said.

“Are you sure?” Emily asked.

“Yep,”

“Why Dylan?” Hotch asked.

“I wanna name him after the man who wrote the greatest rock song ever. Right, Dad?”

“Bob Dylan…right kiddo.”

“Dylan it is.” Emily said.

“Awesome!” Jack rushed back and gave Emily another hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Jack. Goodnight.”

Jack and Hotch left the room with their arms around each other. They walked past Bree’s room, where the three year old was sound asleep. Then they walked past the nursery where Alexandra and Dylan would sleep when they joined the family. In his room, Jack climbed into bed and held onto Constable Bear.

He had given up sleeping with his old stuffed friend just a few months before Haley died. Since then, Hotch noticed he was back. He even managed to ask Jack about it. He said he just wanted to feel comforted at night; Constable Bear was always a source of comfort.

“I can't believe I got to name my baby brother.” He said as Hotch pulled the covers over him. “That was really cool.”

“You're going to be an awesome big brother. Bree already adores you.”

“I promise to be the best big brother ever.”

“I know Jack.” Hotch kissed his forehead. “Get some sleep. If you need anything, come and get me or Emily.”

“OK.” Jack nodded. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too. Sleep tight.”

Hotch pulled the door up but didn’t close it all the way. Jack didn’t liked being closed in while he was sleeping. The nightlight also protected him. Hotch didn’t know if his son still believed in closet monsters but darkness was something he never liked. In Bree’s room, Hotch pulled her sheet up and kissed her face. It had started to rain so he closed the window a bit so the rug wouldn’t get wet. Then he was back in his bedroom looking at his wife.

“Just when I think I've found all the words to tell you how amazing you are…you pull another rabbit out of your hat.” He sat down on the bed with her. “That was great what you did.”

“I'm just glad Jack picked Dylan and not something too weird. But a promise is a promise; we would have explained to our son years from now why his name was Zeppelin.”

“I think that one falls out of the confines of ‘within reason’.” Hotch replied, kissing her nose. “He was really excited about it.”

“Good.” Emily smiled. “We’re a family and we've been through some hard times. I just wanted to give us all something to smile about. It was so good to see him smile.”

“Yes, it was.”

She sighed, her arms moving around Hotch’s neck and pulling him into a hug. He held onto her and didn’t want to let go. Life at home had been upside down since Haley died. Much of it was his fault; the Hotchners had been here before. Hotch broke down.

He blamed himself, went deep into his shell, and no one could reach him. He was there for months and it almost cost him his family as well as his sanity. He was back now, back with Emily, Jack, and Bree…back in reality. Nothing was perfect, it never would be, but this was still bliss.

“I love you.” He whispered in Emily’s ear.

“I love you too, Aaron Hotchner. I think I'm in the mood for some ice cream.”

“I’ll get that for you.”

“Are you sure?” Emily asked.

“Positive.” He stood up from the bed. “I’ll bring it back up here and we’ll cuddle.”

“Mmm, that sounds perfect.”

Hotch leaned down to kiss her, humming to himself as he left the room. He couldn’t help but check on the kids once more. They were asleep and he smiled, heading downstairs to get his wife a nighttime snack. Some semblance of calm was returning to their lives. There were good things to come; Hotch promised himself and those who loved him that he would be there to enjoy them.

***

  



End file.
